Freddie Mac

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate, while ticking down a little this month, most recently stood at 6.6% last Thursday — which is actually up from about 6% in mid-September, according to Freddie Mac.

In late November, mortgages rates hit 6.84%, but have declined somewhat since, clocking in at 6.6% as of Dec. 12, according to Freddie Mac.

“An environment where rates continue to hover above 7% impacts both sellers and buyers,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

The average rate on 30-year mortgages, the most popular home loan in the United States, rose to 7.1 percent this week, Freddie Mac reported on Thursday, the highest since November.

“Despite the recent dip, mortgage rates remain high as the market contends with the pressure of sticky inflation,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.